BC134

Untitled

[Drawings of Horses and Cows]

Two pages torn from a sketchbook.

Page 1: three rows of cows
Row 1: cow in profile with right flank to viewer, foreshortened cow facing front, foreshortened cow showing view of back and right flank          
Row 2: two cow heads, both in three quarter profile showing left side of head. Head on left has downturned horns
Row 3: group of three cows back view. Left two stand close together showing right flank, the third is separate, showing left flank

Page 2: inscribed page, two rows of horses
Row 1: three bridled horses heads
Row 2: three horses in profile facing left. Foremost horse with docked tail and clipped mane

Date
c. 1908 1912
Object type
drawing
Medium and materials
pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
each page:265x200mm
Place Made
Probably England
Inscriptions

Page 2 LR pen FS

Details
Condition Report

Two pages torn from a top spiral-bound sketchbook. Page 1 shows four torn holes from top spiral binding. Pinholes evident in upper corners of both pages.

General notes

These pages belonged to Patience Tennent, the artist’s niece.

The pages probably date from Scales’s time at the W. Frank Calderon School of Animal Painting, London, England, which Scales attended 1908-1912. This assumption is based on the accuracy and close observations of the studies and the isolated assemblage of the animals which could indicate they had been brought into the studio, either in London or Norwich.

The cows are economically but convincingly drawn. The drawings of the horses are more anatomically precise and detailed. 

The horse with docked tail and clipped mane was possibly a retired field artillery horse.

Exhibitions
Used as illustration

Flora Scales, The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū, Nelson, New Zealand, 2018, pg 8 (black and white)